Grinding machines

ABSTRACT

An apparatus in which the diameters of two rolls are matched by grinding one roll, measuring the position of the surface of the ground roll relative to a datum position using a probe, and grinding the second roll until the surface thereof is in the same position relative to the datum position as was the surface of the first roll.

United States Patent Tittle 51 Mar. 28, 197 2 541 GRINDING MACHINES 56] References Cited [72] inventor: John Noel Tittle, Knutsford, England UNITED STATES PATENTS i731 Assign Churchill amp"! 504,566 9/1893 Davidson ..s1/49 Limited. Broadheath, Altrincham, 773,983 1 H1904 Reisnerm cheshlrev Ensland 1,225,858 5/1917 Raule 22 Filed; Feb 10 1970 1,792,043 2/1931 Sousa 3,037,332 6/1962 Wratt et al. ..5 l/l65.76 [21] Appl. No.: 10,136

Primary Examiner-Lester M. Swingle 30] Foreign Application Priority Data Anomey flolman & Stem Feb. l1, 1969 Great Britain ..7,276/69 ABSTRACT An apparatus in which the diameters of two rolls are matched [52] US. Cl ..5l/49, 5l/165.75 by grinding one 1.0, measuring the position f the Surface f [5 l Int. Cl "324!) 5/04 the ground n relative to a datum position using a probe, and [58] held of Search 5- 165-751 165-76 grinding the second roll until the surface thereof is in the same position relative to the datum position as was the surface of the first roll.

2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures Patented March 28, 1972 2 Sheets-Sheet l IAIuE/VTMQ.

I M. 717 fl. 6'

9YLQ zYWwW gW GRINDING MACHINES This invention relates to grinding machines and more particularly to the matching of the diameters of two rolls or other cylindrical workpieces ground consecutively on a grinding machine.

There is a requirement in rolling mills for pairs of rolls in the individual mill stands to have accurately matched diameters, the actual diameters being unimportant. As the rolls have to be reground at frequent intervals much time is spent measuring the rolls in order that each pair can be matched.

An object of the present invention is to provide a grinding machine in which the matching operation is simplified.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a grinding machine for matching the diameters of two workpieces, comprising means for supporting each of the workpieces in turn for rotation, a grinding wheel, means for effecting relative in-feed and traverse between the workpiece and the grinding wheel, and means for measuring the position of the surface of the workpiece relative to a datum position.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a grinding machine suitable for use in the present invention, and

FIG. 2 is a view showing part of a grinding machine according to the present invention of the type shown in FIG. 1 fitted with measuring means.

Referring to the drawings, the grinding machine for matching the diameter of a pair of rolls, comprises a bed 1, a pair of roll journal rests 2 adapted to support a roll 3 about a known axis. On the bed 1 is mounted, in known manner, a grinding wheel 4 for longitudinal and in-feed movement relative to the roll 3 in known manner on slides 4a and 4b, respectively.

A bottom in-feed slide 5 mounted on a carriage 6 on the bed 1 carries a top in-feed slide 7 upon which is mounted a support 8 carrying a gauge measuring head 9 or probe which is connected with an indicator 10 for measuring axial movement of the probe relative to the support.

A feed screw 11 rotatable through a worm l2 and worm wheel 13 is provided for moving the bottom slide 5 to cause infeed or out-feed thereof, and thus the probe 9, relative to the roll 3. A print-out l4 and a digital read-out 15 are connected with a rotary resolver 16 connected with the feed screw 11 and are set to read twice the distance between the probe 9 and the axis of rotation of the roll 3 when the indicator 10 connected with the probe measures zero. The indicator 10 is arranged to read zero when the probe 9 is fully extended relative to its support 8.

A fixed stop 17 is carried by the bottom slide 5 and serves to limit in-feed movement of the top slide 7 relative to the bottom slide 5.

In use, a first roll 3 is mounted in the roll journal rests 2 for rotation about the above-mentioned known axis. With the top slide 7 abutting the stop 17 on the bottom slide 5, the latter is advanced towards the roll 3 until the probe 9 just touches the surface of the roll 3 to be ground. in this position, the print-out l5 and the read-out 14 indicate the diameter of the unground roll 3. The bottom slide 5 is then advanced further so that the probe 9 is depressed and the indicator 10 measures the distance by which it is depressed. The advance or in-feed of the bottom slide 5 is continued until the indicator 10 reads a distance equivalent to the amount of metal to be removed from the roll 3, said amount being predetermined for the condition of the pair of rolls being matched. In this position, the read-out l4 and the print-out 15 measure twice the distance between the probe and the axis of rotation of the roll when the grinding operation on that roll is complete i.e., the diameter of the roll after grinding.

The grinding operation is then commenced and is continued until the indicator 10 reads zero again i.e., until the actual diameter of the roll 3 equals the value given by the print-out l5 and read-out 14. One or more finishing passes of the grindin wheel 4 may be required subsequent] hen, wIthout moving the bottom sli e 5, the top slide 7 is moved away from the fixed stop 17 to enable the ground first roll to be replaced by a second roll whose diameter is to be matched to that of the first roll. The second roll is mounted accurately for rotation about the same known axis as the first roll. The top slide 7 is then moved against the fixed stop 17 thus causing the probe 9 to contact the surface of the second roll and to be depressed relative to the support 8. The distance of depression is shown on the indicator l0 and is a measure of the amount of metal to be removed from the second roll to reduce it to the same diameter as the ground first roll.

The grinding operation is commenced and continued until the indicator 10 reads zero. Thus, the diameters of the two rolls are accurately matched.

It will be manifest that the top slide 7 is not an essential part of a grinding machine according to the present invention, since the bottom slide 5 could carry the probe support 8 directly and could be retracted to allow the second roll to be loaded into the machine and then advanced until the read-out 14 and print-out 15 showed the same value as that before retraction.

Absolute measurements can be taken by fixing a linear measuring device (not shown) to the bottom slide 5 and having the datum for this measuring device fixed relative to the center of rotation of the workpiece.

By using output signals given by the measuring head at discrete points the amount of metal removed and the grinding process can be automatically controlled.

The rolls may be aligned on the grinding machine in the manner described in application Ser. No. 10,135 filed Feb. l0,

The movement of the probe relative to the workpiece may be effected manually but preferably it is effected automatically by a motor 18.

.I claim:

1. A grinding machine for matching the diameters of two workpieces, comprising means for supporting each of the workpieces in turn for rotation, a grinding wheel, means for effecting relative in-feed and traverse between the workpiece and the grinding wheel, and means for measuring the position of the surface of the workpiece relative to a datum position, said measuring means comprising a probe, means mounting the probe for movement towards and away from the surface of the workpiece, said probe being movable relative to said mounting means, means for indicating the position of said probe relative to said mounting means, and means for indicating the position of the mounting means relative to the datum position, said probe being mounted on the mounting means through the intermediary of a further mounting means movable towards and away from the surface of the workpiece, and a fixed stop on the first mounting means being provided to limit movement of the further mounting means towards the workpiece surface relative to the first mounting means.

2. A grinding machine for matching the diameters of two workpieces, comprising means for supporting each of the workpieces in turn for rotation, a grinding wheel, means for effecting relative in-feed and traverse between the workpiece and the grinding wheel, and means for measuring the position of the surface of the workpiece relative to a datum position, said measuring means comprising a probe, means mounting the probe for movement towards and away from the surface of the workpiece, said probe being towards and away from the surface of the workpiece, said probe being movable relative to said mounting means, means for indicating the position of said probe relative to said mounting means, and means for indicating the position of the mounting means relative to the datum position, a rotary feed screw being provided for effecting movement of the first mounting means, and a rotary resolver associated with the feed screw being connected with the means for indicating the position of the first mounting means. 

1. A grinding machine for matching the diameters of two workpieces, comprising means for supporting each of the workpieces in turn for rotation, a grinding wheel, means for effecting relative in-feed and traverse between the workpiece and the grinding wheel, and means for measuring the position of the surface of the workpiece relative to a datum position, said measuring means comprising a probe, means mounting the probe for movement towards and away from the surface of the workpiece, said probe being movable relative to said mounting means, means for indicating the position of said probe relative to said mounting means, and means for indicating the position of the mounting means relative to the datum position, said probe being mounted on the mounting means through the intermediary of a further mounting means movable towards and away from the surface of the workpiece, and a fixed stop on the first mounting means being provided to limit movement of the further mounting means towards the workpiece surface relative to the first mounting means.
 2. A grinding Machine for matching the diameters of two workpieces, comprising means for supporting each of the workpieces in turn for rotation, a grinding wheel, means for effecting relative in-feed and traverse between the workpiece and the grinding wheel, and means for measuring the position of the surface of the workpiece relative to a datum position, said measuring means comprising a probe, means mounting the probe for movement towards and away from the surface of the workpiece, said probe being towards and away from the surface of the workpiece, said probe being movable relative to said mounting means, means for indicating the position of said probe relative to said mounting means, and means for indicating the position of the mounting means relative to the datum position, a rotary feed screw being provided for effecting movement of the first mounting means, and a rotary resolver associated with the feed screw being connected with the means for indicating the position of the first mounting means. 